Water companies in the Netherlands

Unlike energy (gas and electricity), the water supply in the Netherlands is not privatised. This means that people cannot choose their own water supplier. Instead, the company that supplies your water is dictated by where in the country you live. 

How to set up your water in the Netherlands

As you can't choose your water supplier, setting up your water is fairly easy in the Netherlands. You simply need to sign up with your local provider. You can find your local supplier on the Vewin.nl website.

If you have bought a house and are moving to a new address, simply notify your water supplier that you are moving, and then notify the water supplier in your new region when you move in. This can often be done online. If you are renting, your landlord will usually make arrangements. Otherwise, you should notify your local supplier.

You can also use a utility installment service such as EasyNuts or Utility Direct to effortlessly arrange all your utilities, including water, within a span of 24 hours, free of charge. 

Water supply companies in the Netherlands

There are 10 water supply companies in the Netherlands. Where you live will determine what company will supply you with water.

Water company	Region
Brabant Water	Northern part of Brabant, including Eindhoven, Den Bosch, Breda and Tilburg
Dunea	Western part of South-Holland, including The Hague and Leiden
Evides	Zeeland and southern part of Zuid-Holland
Oasen	Eastern part of Zuid-Holland
PWN	Noord-Holland, including Alkmaar and Haarlem
Vitens	Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, Flevoland and Friesland
Waterbedrijf Groningen	Groningen
WMD	Drenthe
Waternet	Amsterdam
WML	Limburg, including Maastricht

All 10 water suppliers are represented by the Association of Dutch Water Companies (Vewin). Although they are public companies, many of their services, from customer service to repairs, are contracted out to the private sector. 

The Dutch municipalities are responsible for collecting wastewater via the sewer system.

There are also 24 water boards (Waterschappen), decentralised public authorities that are responsible for flood control, the management of regional water resources, and the treatment of wastewater. Elections for the water boards are held every few years. 

Water bills

In the Netherlands, you typically only pay for the water your household consumes (rather than being charged for estimated usage). Most properties are fitted with a water meter to measure consumption. It has been a legal requirement for new properties to be fitted with a water meter since 1990. 

Typically, you will pay your water bill in monthly or quarterly installments, like an energy bill. The costs are made up of several parts:

• Costs for the water used
• Fixed costs
• Tap water taxes 
• Administrative fees 

If you have a water meter, once per year you may be asked to submit a meter reading. Your water company will then issue an annual water statement. This will compare how much you have already paid with your actual usage. You may then be entitled to a refund, or be asked to pay more. 

According to Vewin, the average person in the Netherlands uses 118 litres of water per day, and the average drinking water rate in 2025 was €2,61 per m3. That would equate to an annual bill of around €110 for one person, or €440 for a four-person household, plus fixed costs and taxes. 

Can you drink tap water in the Netherlands?

You'll be pleased to know that it is totally safe to drink tap water in the Netherlands. According to the Environmental Performance Index, tap water in the Netherlands is actually some of the cleanest in the world. 

The RIVM monitors the quality of drinking water at every stage from the source to the tap to ensure that it is safe to consume. Water companies in the Netherlands use advanced purification processes to treat tap water without using chloride or fluoride. 

Tap water in the Netherlands also has lower levels of calcium than elsewhere in Europe, meaning the water is "softer" and causes less build-up on appliances like washing machines, kettles, taps and shower heads.